A 16-year-old schoolboy was arrested in Reutov, near Moscow, who, according to investigators, was planning an attack on Secondary School No. 1. According to investigators, the tenth-grader named Ruslan was under the influence of the so-called school shooters and the Columbine movement, which is recognized as terrorist and banned in Russia.
The investigation established that Ruslan's interest in the subculture of mass murders in schools arose several years ago. He actively participated in thematic online communities where tragic events related to attacks on educational institutions were discussed and approved. In these publics, Ruslan reportedly not only studied the methods and motivations of past crimes, but also expressed his support for such acts, which led him to the idea of organizing his own attack.
The young man's plans were thwarted at the preparatory stage. According to the investigation, Ruslan was planning to use three knives, which were found during the search, in his criminal intentions. He supposedly planned to use these weapons to attack students and staff of School No. 1 in Reutov.
Information about the teenager's intentions reached law enforcement agencies thanks to the vigilance of those around him, who may have noticed his suspicious behavior or correspondence on the Internet. On January 15, a criminal case was opened against Ruslan under Article 205.5 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Participation in the activities of a terrorist organization").